Duke Wen of Jin Recovering His State (晉文公復國圖), by Li Tang, via Wikimedia Commons.
Speaker: Mick Hunter (Yale University)
Date and time: Thursday, 27 February, 2025, 14:00
Location: FAMES Room 8/9, University of Cambridge
Abstract: The heroes of ancient epics face all sorts of life-and-death obstacles as they work their way through epic narratives—monsters, vengeful gods, competing heroes, bad hosts, misbehaving companions, and scheming relatives, to name just a few. But there is one kind of obstacle that storytellers across Eurasia found especially provocative: an epic hero who opts out of his own story. In this talk I use key episodes from a number of ancient epics (Gilgamesh, Odyssey, Iliad, Mahabharata) to illuminate the curious case of Chong’er of Jin (7th c. BCE), a great leader who tried and failed to reject his political and literary destiny. This talk showcases material from my current book project on ancient wisdom literature in a global context.
Speaker: Mick Hunter is an Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale University. His teaching and research interests cover various aspects of early Chinese culture but with a heavy emphasis on early thought and literature, as well as the use of digital research tools for the study of early Chinese texts. Professor Hunter is currently working on two long-term book projects. One is a study of the thought of Liu Xiang 劉向 (77–6 BCE), the great bibliographer and compiler of the Western Han dynasty. The second is a study of ancient wisdom literature from the Mediterranean world to China.
“Book Culture in Buddhism and Beyond” Lecture Series:
This new lecture series, launching in Michaelmas Term 2023, features talks on writing and publishing in the Buddhist tradition and in related religious and cultural spheres. Lectures in this series offer insights into the various ways in which writing and printing has been shaping Buddhism, as well as the multifaceted impact of Buddhism on book culture in East Asia, past, present, and future.
Registration is not required. The lectures are free and open to scholars, students, and the public.
Please note: all events take place in person at the University of Cambridge. Exact times and location will be circulated via email and posted on the webpage of Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.
This lecture series is organised by Dr Noga Ganany (ng462@cam.ac.uk) in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Cambridge with the generous support of the Glorisun Global Network.
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